It is a truth universally acknowledged that bookworms are usually in agreement with one another. For instance, as we prepare for the release of Onyx Storm, we all agree that dragons are cool and Xaden Riorson is hot. So on the rare occasion when something divides the community, it’s our duty as bookworms to investigate. Today’s bone of contention is When the Moon Hatched by Sarah A. Parker.
The first book of the Moonfall series was published in 2024, taking BookTok by storm and being featured in many book collections. However, reviews on this slow burn are quite mixed on Goodreads and Amazon, and the reader community is polarized. Having conducted our own research, we have concluded that this epic fantasy series has the potential to become a trailblazer in the romantasy sphere. With complex characters, interesting world-building, and a unique magic system, When the Moon Hatched has all the components to succeed.
So today, let’s dissect the key figures of this fantasy romance to either convince you to read it or reassure you it is not a bad book if you already like it. We have also compiled a list with some breathtaking When the Moon Hatched fanart to further entice you! We’ll try to keep our analysis relatively spoiler-free, but as always, beware.
For our dragon fans, refresh your memory with our Fourth Wing review, character analysis, and quote collection. As for our Maasverse followers, you might like our theories and how the Maas series are connected.
The world began with five, Caelis God of Aether, Bulder God of the Ground, Rayne Goddess of Water, Clode Goddess of the Air and Ignos God of Fire. Thus, elemental magic and the world of Ayrithian was created and divided into The Burn, The Fade and The Shade. Each territory has its own unique topography and is the natural habitat to a different kind of dragon. Sabersythes live in The Burn, Moonplumes live in The Shade and Moltenmaws live in The Shade. When the dragons die, they petrify around themselves and become a moon in the sky. But it wasn’t long after the creation when moons started to fall from the sky.
The creators soon discovered it was one of their own who caused this disaster. Caelis, jealous of never being seen and adored like the other creators, wreaked havoc in the world and was punished by being imprisoned in the Aether Stone—a magical stone gifted to the Neván family women for safeguarding. The creation and gifting of the Ather Stone, signalled the start of the new era.
Now, 5,000,165 Phases After Stone, we follow the story of Raeve, an assassin and member of the rebellion group Fíur du Ath. Raeve’s roommate and friend, Essi, is murdered. In a fit of rage, Raeve goes after her murderer only to be captured by a bounty hunter sent by The Crown. She is imprisoned in The Burn, the territory of the most brutal Vaegor King, Kaan Vaegor.
However, when the king takes a special interest in her, shards of past memories and whispers make her question his intentions. Kaan will take Raeve to his palace and help her recover, both physically and emotionally. Despite their explosive chemistry and growing feelings, Kaan cannot force Raeve to stay. With suspicions triggered and rumors circulating, soon, the choice is out of their hands. Raeve is faced with her past, and deadly secrets are uncovered.
Elemental affinity: Clode, Rayne, Bulder and Ignos
Hot-headed as they come, Raeve is an assassin for the rebels who cannot remember her past. Intelligent and loyal, Raeve fights for what she believes. She loves watching the moons, especially a little crooked one she can see from her window. Even though elemental wielders are supposed to showcase their affinity with their elemental beads, she pretends to be a null—a person who doesn’t hear any elemental songs—despite being extremely powerful and hearing all four elemental songs.
Her connection to Kaan cannot be explained, and despite her wish for independence, she finds herself longing for his affection. Upon discovering she is Elluin Neván, the dead princess of The Shade, she is faced with a daunting choice; reclaim her legacy as the rightful holder of the Aether Stone or live as Raeve away from all the political intrigue. We see Elluin mostly through diary entries, detailing her life before being bequeathed the Aether Stone and being forced to marry Tyroth Vaegor, Kaan’s brother.
Elemental Affinity: Ignos, Bulder
The eldest of the three Vaegor brothers, Kaan rules The Burn, the habitat of the Sabersythes. From the moment he sees Raeve he is drawn to her, leaving us with countless hints that there is more to our FMC than she is willing to admit. Scorned by his father for only hearing two of the four elemental songs, Kaan was never supposed to rule and instead was sent to the Jokhull Clan—a warrior clan in the Boltanic Plains known for producing gifted warriors. Alas, after graciously taking his father out of the picture, he became King and saved his sister Veya from his father’s cruel treatment.
Aside from being an excellent warrior, Kaan is loyal to the core, caring, loving, and more emotional than the traditional broody MMC. His bond with Raeve is not something he is willing to let go. He collected all the shards from Slátra’s moon, only to find that Elluin, the love he thought was lost, is alive. Despite being rumored to be brutal and ruthless, he is a fair and just ruler who cares for his people and is willing to fight for them.
There are not many secondary characters that influence the plot as of yet, but we are pretty sure there will be more in the next books of this high-fantasy gem.
Veya is the youngest Vaegor child, and the princess of The Burn, loyal and fiercely protective of her brother. Veya is a very traumatized individual, scorned and blamed for her mother’s loss in childbirth. Veya is deeply unsettled by Raeve’s arrival at The Burn, and decides to start digging. Soon, she embarks on a journey to The Shade, Tyroth’s territory, to discover something that will upend the whole of Ayrithian.
Pyrok and his sibling Roan are members of Kaan’s Imperial Court. He is the most laid-back and carefree guy in there, which is what endears him to Raeve. He goes along with her gambling at The Great Flurrt celebration and even takes her to The Curly Quill in Dhomm. There is still not much we know about him, but he seems like trouble, and we’re here for it.
Kaan’s second in command, and the most mysterious member of the Court. Unlike Pyrok who is a chatterbox, Grihm barely speaks. He is, one could say, a bit too serious, but his broodiness is definitely intriguing. We do get the vibes that he has a thing for Veya, but we need to know more for our final judgment.
The current holder of the Aether Stone, Kyzari is the princess of The Shade and an offspring of the Neván family. When she meets with Kaan she is deeply distraught, and claims to be in love with Caelis, and, as such, she intends to find a way to free him. As Tyroth’s only heir, she is called temperamental and is left to run wild until she decides to return. However, the real question is Kyzari’s parenthood, which is quite the cliffhanger and will probably be explored more in the second book.
We know that the romance is not dominant in the first book and the magic is quite a lot to digest, but we promise the makings of an epic love story are there. The badass heroine along with the man who fell first are also something we love in this coming-of-age romantasy saga. Anyhow, until next time, bookworms!
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The audiobook version of this romantasy book involves dual narration by the talented Sarah Mollo-Christensen and Fajer Al-Kaiji. The vivid story-telling along with the immersive narration offer an elevated reading experience.
When the Moon Hatched is not particularly high on the spicy meter, with only Ch. 78 being a full sex scene. However, there is explicit language, tension, and other scenes with erotic connotations in the book. The next books are predicted to be heavier on the spice level.
The moons are a unique element of the universe of When the Moon Hatched. When dragons pass, they petrify and become moons that decorate Ayrithian’s Astra Plane. At some point, due to Caelis’ jealousy, moons started falling from the sky. So when five thousand phases later, another moon falls from the sky and breaks into shards, it is discovered that the fae rider of the dragon who was petrified within it is missing. And thus it’s like a moon hatched and a new story begins.
Always living in her own enchanted little world, Christina discovered the magic that can be hidden within the pages of a book when one dares to take a closer look from a tender age. An avid reader, she is constantly inspired to delve into the secrets woven between the lines and challenges herself to find her own voice amidst the chaos. She is a dedicated fan of the classics, but the supernatural creatures that have tormented readers for years are her kryptonite. The mastery it takes to infuse the author's essence, molded by the era they grew up in to their innermost desires fascinates her. Undoubtedly, putting her passion and knowledge on paper has a mesmerizing allure on her, and following the steps of so many other dreamers before her she wishes to leave her mark in the literary world. Guided by T.S Eliot’s haunting words: “I will show you fear in a handful of dust” she intends to wreak havoc in the minds of her future readers.
